What I Found By The River
by Kasan Soulblade
Summary: If you have no finished TOS avoid this fic! During the Kharlan wars a band of half elves find what they presume to be a dead man at the banks of a river. Yet presumptions are not always right, and as they drag taht man, half dead from the icy banks they
1. Default Chapter

"Several years have now elapsed since I first became aware that I had accepted, even from my youth, many false opinions for true, and that consequently what I afterward based on such principles was highly doubtful…"

Quote from….

Meditation

From "Of the things of which we may doubt"

By Rene Descartes

What I found by the river,

Prologue

A/N: For now this is a one shot, I'll add/finish it when I get done with either DES or my Cupid fic, I just need to get this off my computer...

Cold, so cold, every breath motion sent shards of ice running through him. He would have shivered had he the strength, but such strength had long failed him. It was seeped away, as was his very life by the damning cold. He didn't know why he struggled against death, against the darkness behind his eyes, but he did. He stubbornly kept his eyes opened, watched the sky drift by him… or was he drifting by the sky? In his numb state he really didn't care, light shinned on him as the sun, blinded him and turned the whole world a molten silver blue. He opened his mouth, drew a breath that steamed the air.

The breath of his life was fighting the chill of Winter's death, and as that accursed numbness seeped into his lungs he knew he was losing.

Had he some how been able to float above his own body he would have spent his last energy cursing what his foes had done while quietly admiring their thoroughness. He had been searched, any item of worth stripped from him, even his hidden throwing daggers. His clothes had been slashed to bits under the lash of a whip, wounds laced his back, an arrow shot, and a dagger's thrust would have set his side to agony had he not been so cold.

They were very thorough; they weren't just leaving the cold to kill him, they had not bound his limbs together to some great stone and tossed him into the river. They had mauled him, left him a bloody mess, and perhaps not trusting the depth of the water decided the winter's chill would be sufficient.

It was sufficient, he mused as he drifted by the world, gently pushed along by rapids a good league off, it was doing the job and that was enough wasn't it?

He sighed out another breath, so cold and numb he felt himself hit something and snag. Something tugged at his wound in his back, caught it, dug in, and in any other situation he would have been screaming in pain. All he managed was a sketchy grunt and to note what was happening to him.

He wondered for an instant, to distract himself from the implications of that internal tugging, if that girl had managed to get away. In all probability no, no she was dead. Grief did not touch him, in his icy prison of his flesh that he soon would be shedding he imagined all of his passions were a fire and the cold around them had dampened it.

It was ironic really, no one had considered him passionate about anything and in his last mortal moments he was contemplating on his passions being smothered in the rivers waters. In his state of near delusion he also imagined his very life being strangled out of him at winter's cruel hands, or perhaps it was rather the Ice Queen was merely reaching into his chest through his mouth and for each breath he took of her air she plucked a breath in trade.

Raped, her body exhausted beyond all capability of recovery from its ultimate violation, or rather violations; Kratos imagined that if he lay here long enough he would see her mangled corpse drift by.

Something drifted by his face, something black and long that bobbed above him. Yet it cast no shadow, it was a dark shape that cut across the trees, fell over him and mercifully dampened the suns light with its' small form, then drifted out of his limited range of site. It cut across the air above him several times, and it was then he realized it was some type of bird.

The first raven to fest on me has just arrived, nice.

He waited in detached curiosity for the wings to fold, to feel the claws tug at his tattered bits of tunic and walk across him and begin its feast. Considering his state he wouldn't feel anything s he was morbidly looking forward to the event, just to see, before he died, what a person being eaten live looked like. And if it was a sight he couldn't bare well he had one way out, he'd close his eyes, and be granted solace for a time.

"There it is! Hey! Where'd it go?"

A voice, a child, far away, punctured by a surge of water that tried to submerge his ears.

"I see it Yuan, right there, use my sling and knock it from the tree!"

"Hmm I'll need to get closer, I don't think the blasted thing will spook if I go out of the foliage, it's been awful fearless so far."

"Brave… Maybe if we catch it it'll rub off!"

"Mihos, that's an old wives tale. Now at least we'll have some…" Another wave whipped at his ears, threw his red-brown hair to the side and slicked it to his face. "Bloody Hell what is that?"

"Yuan?"

"Mithos, stay back… Get Martel, quick!"

"Wha- Why should… Sweet Powers is it alive?" The child's voice sounded sick.

"I don't know, bring her, now!"

A blade sunk into the earth, a rattle of a small stone striking ice coated ground, a whisper of a leather sling being dropped to the earth. Yuan snarled an oath, unbuttoned his coat and ripped off his heavy tunic, ripped his sheath from his belt and ran to the water's ice touched edge. He gasped in pain as the cold surrounded him, drained him. He cut through the water to the man's side; his blue hair fanned out behind him and was lost in the like colored water. With chattering teeth he tried to get the man to move, but his words could do nothing to motivate the brown haired youth. He was beyond that, beyond his mortal strength, and what other strength that might have been housed in his veins was fast drifting downstream. With a shaking hand Yuan grabbed the man, tried to pull him back to shore, meeting resistance Yuan cursed, pulled with all of his might and felt something give way. He was rewarded with a snap that he more felt then heard that and… and a rush of new blood, but the man came along.

Shivering he dragged the man to shore, and then did something he should have done in the water. He gently pushed the muscular person's hair aside, considered the ear for a long moment. Not pointed, not even with the slightest edge, he had risked life and limb and manhood to save a human.

Disgusted he let his burden drop to the earth.

It managed a pathetic moan, and Yuan managed to feel just a little bad for it- er him.

Shivering he cursed Mithos, cursed the fact he'd send the boy off well knowing that the lad was holding their store of fire wood in his packs.

Ah well, with his shaking hands he was no in the mood to even try the natural way.

Making a quick gesture he pointed to a near by rock and watch in satisfaction as if caught a flame.

"And that," the half elf gloated to the comatose human. "Is what makes me better than you."

He breathed off a plume of smoke from is index finger and considered the mess of blood and rags then because his conscious was nagging him, or more honestly the idea of Martel mad at him made him squirm, he picked up the human by the shoulders and dragged him closer to the flames. Grimacing at the sight of all the blood that covered him, Yuan left the human alone so he could wash up, and dress. He drifted back to the fire while buttoning up his fur coat and heard Martel's horrified gasp. She ran past him and knelt by the human, her eyes wide in shock. Seeing the familiar tell tale glow around her hands Yuan cleared his throat and she snapped her gaze onto him. Normally he would have felt like he was drowning in those spring green eyes, but not today. Not with such a serious problem on their hands.

"He's human Martel."

Mithos gasped at that, having come back with his sister despite orders to the contrary. Thoughts drifted in and out of that golden head with astonishing speed, especially thoughts that he didn't want to remember, if Mithos had a flaw that was it. Silver blue eyes met Yuan's and he could clearly read the fear in them.

"Don't worry Mithos, we are safe, so long as he doesn't go back to his kind and report us."

"A…a… human…" Mithos gulped, then crept up to the powerfully built man and prodded him with a finger. "Eww he's bleeding red every where!" Mithos ran his bloody hand on the snow.

"Mithos, we all bleed red." Yuan corrected him gently

"Oh," the youngest member of the Yggdrasil family grinned. "I guess that makes sense, still it's _human_ blood."

"I can't believe you!" Martel flared. "Both of you are being savages."

"Matel, _Fa_ _merth Derisa_ we can't let him go back. What are you going to do if he returns to where he came from? If he does that then what hope do we have?"

"I'm not going to leave him here to die, I will save him!" Martel snapped, and had the mater been anything else Yuan would have folded, but this was too damned dangerous, too damned risky. He moved to step between her and the human, to gently pull her away. And he, froze as those brown eyes fell onto him. Regarded him with curiosity, then calmly flicked to Mithos and Martel. Even though the man was half dead, even though there was no way he should have understood them he was looking at them as if he knew…

_Alright this guy has officially freaked me out._

"Think," Martel snapped at him. "He's a human, human's attacked our village, may be he can give us some answers."

"Damn it Martel, you're playing with fire here!" Yuan snapped, ignoring the human, ignoring those all too knowing eyes.

"And I'm ready to be burned, if that's how my luck falls."

"Damn it… _fine_." Yuan growled, "That's how you want it that's how it is. I'll go back to hunting, the bastard's got to eat after you heal him."

"Yuan!"

"I'll go with you Yuan." Mithos offered, looking at the form sprawled in the snow with obvious disgust.

Martel only looked at them both with a sad pitying look that could have melted hearts of tone. Hatred though was not stone, but sterner stuff.

"They don't understand." Martel whispered to the still man who was struggling for breath. "But don't worry I do." Closing her eyes Martel placed a slender hand over his chest and warm golden light fell from her fingers like rain drops. Each drop gathered over a wound flashed a pink streaked gold, then vanished with a blazing flash of light to reveal fully healed flesh. She did this till all the wounds were healed, even the wound with a bit of tree still stuck in it. That of course she worked out before applying her power to it. Tired Martel closed her eyes, rubbed her hands across her white robes leaving streaks of red. Between the days travel and the healing she was so tired, and Yuan's fire was so warm looking and the ground so comfortable. With a tired yawn Martel closed her eyes, absently moved a little closer to the human and the fire, then rested her eyes for just a moment.

In less then a minute she was sound asleep.


	2. Beginning Dynamics

Chapter 2

A/N: Done with all my Kranna stuff not to work onRiver and Shards!

Beginning Dynamics

He was cold, yet warm half and half. After the cold of death the warm hurt but the pain was not bad as the aching emptiness that had licked at him a short span ago. He cracked an eye open, confused. There was no flapping of birds wings, no sharp jagged pin points of pain now that he dared to stir. He was... safe... well that was his illusion when he woke up, he cracked his eyes open, ignored the world about him, and reached out to push off of the ground.

He touched flesh, warm, still living flesh. It moaned, snuggled closer to him, and he discovered that "it" was a woman. The woman cracked her soft green eyes open a mite and with a might yawn and smile began to wake up. He recoiled from the being as if he had been bedding with a snake, and she looked up at him in sleepy confusion.

"Oh my Gods!" The auburn haired man turned to see a young child of ten or so look up at him with wide crystal hue eyes. "Yuan you were right! The Human was making a move on Martel!"

He looked down at the woman dressed in furs and she looked up at him a hint of crimson about her cheeks. She had soft spring shoot green hair that matched her gentle eyes, those eyes were worried. That in turn made him very worried.

"Oh no... No Mithos, it's not like that!"

Too late the kid had ran off screaming for a Yuan.

"Bodyguard of yours, this Yuan person?" The brigand said, his lips curling into a slight ghost smile.

"No... We're just friends."

"What!" Roared a male's voice.

"He touched her butt and I think he was gunna do worse!" Came a child's voice in what was known almost universally as the tattle tell tone.

"Oh no... You better run!" The woman whispered. "Yuan's a really good swordsman."

The auburn haired man chuckled a vile sound with no warmth.

"Young Miss, I run from nothing. And before things go to hell, I want you to understand any touching I did was while I was out cold, I meant none of it."

She blushed, nodded, and pulled the blanket over her tattered clothes. He wasn't going to bother with modesty, someone had stripped him of his clothes, he hardly cared as the fire nearby kept him warm enough. Standing, shedding the tangled blanket that someone had thoughtfully draped over him he met the blue haired pointy eared roughen, on his feet.

"You get away from her!" The man growled, his sapphire hued eyes -the brigand could safely say they were that color for his first loot had been a small sapphire taken from an over sentimental noblewoman who had ignored Kratos' warning of the jewel or her life. Kratos spared the man in his black tattered cloak and heavy fur garments a humored look.

"I don't take to elves." Kratos growled, eyed the man's make shift hunting spear. "I prefer my own specie thank you. Your woman's honor is not in question, and I want no fight."

"How dare you... you bastard... get away from my Martel."

"Your Martel?" The woman and boy protested in unison.

"Ms. Martel, an honor." He mock bowed to her, then turned to the blue haired pointy eared freak. "A shame your companions could be no less civil then yourself."

The man... it was a general term, after all this Yuan was by no means a human. Glared bloody daggers at him. Kratos waited, the tension of the things muscles was obvious hints to the human who had seen men in a number of blood rages to recognize one right in front of him. Snarling a line in a language Kratos didn't know the blue haired man charged. Kratos blocked the overhand chop of the staff of the stone tip weapon, then wrenched the spear out of the man's grasp. His foe was a stuborn one, refusing to give up, like two dogs they warred over the staff. One sharp and uterly rude kick to the blue haired thing's groin made the pointy ear sink to his knees. He looked up at the human who'd just defeated him. Was forced to meet those black empty eyes for the stone point of the weapon tilted his head up.

"If you have a weapon, learn to fight with it before trying to kill with it." The human tossed the spear to the side. "Boy."

The blue haired elf went scarlet in rage, and the human looked at him.

In the blue haired man eyes he saw the other begging for another fight, drooling for the chance to inflict more pain.

From the auburn haired human perspective he saw a beast before him properly dispatched and out of the fight, for now.

They both knew, for them where the other stood, and that was all they needed for now.

Xxx

"Martel... this is weird..." The blonde haired boy hissed to his sister, sparing a look for the non pointy eared man who was silently eating a bowl of stew.

"Mithos, be polite, it might just be a human custom we don't understand."

"Derris merth..." Yuan murmured her pet name. "Stoney silence for five hours is not custom from anywhere I've ever heard of. Not that I mind, he's an -"

"Yuan!" Martel smacked his arm lightly. "Don't you dare curse in front of Mithos!"

They were all sitting in another clearing, he'd marched with them, said nothing, had only siad all of five words. They were 'boy I need your sling' the man had then taken Mithos' sling, killed a rabbit, and that's why they were having a dinner tonight. The half elves were sitting on a log and across from them, on the outer edge of the fire light was a human who seemed to suck all the volume from their voices and the cheer from their souls. Mithos hated it, hated how this gloomy, mean, filthy human just joined up with them because he was hurt and Martel healed him. Mithos hadn't even heard the man even say 'thank you' yet.

That was completely inexcusable!

"You are a jerk, you know that!" Mithos said in his loudest voice, standing up and puffing himself up so he wasn't as tiny. The man who was sitting, one leg sprawled out before him the other bent and serving as perch for his hands regarded him cooly. Mithos' stomach went all cold and shrivelly inside.

"Can you hear me, I said..."

"I heard." The man stared at him, stared through him. "Who are you and why should who you are make me care?"

"I'm.." Mithos paused for dramatic effect. "Mithos Yggdrasil!"

"You are a young snot nosed brat who needs sense beat into him." Came the soft counter. "And if your sister doesn't retrieve you right now I'll be the one to do it."

Mithos almost wailed out to his sister that the human was being mean, but realizing that would just prove the stupid human right. Gritting his teeth he boy stomped up to the human, ignoring how those black eyes seemed to bore into him like knives. The eyes, the face, said 'go away' but Mithos wasn't going to listen to some dumb old human! No matter how scary he was!

"I'm not scared of you!" Mithos growled, well squeaked was more like the sound.

"Mithos, leave him alone!" Yuan called. "You never know, he might be rabid."

"Shut up pointy eared slime." The human snarled, then looked to the small child before him. "You're a brave one or your stupid, since your young lets call it the later and save some time shall we?"

"You are a jerk."

"You said that already." The human looked beyond him, bored.

"I gave you my name, your supposed to give me yours, or are you non-pointy ears so dumb that you don't know what common courtesy is?" He was proud how he got Martel's word right, and ended the question with a smirk.

"Kratos Aurion." The man growled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Satisfied? Good. Now go back to your friends and leave me alone."

"No." Mithos crossed his arms in front of his chest, a pale mimic of the man's gesture. "I'm not, not till you say thank you!"

"For what?" The human hissed.

"My sister and her friend saved you from drowning!" Mithos growled. "And you're gunna say thank you, right now!"

Kratos rose and eyebrow, his lips quirked in a hint of a mocking smile.

"Or what little boy?"

"Or..." Fire licked at the ends of his tiny fingers. "Or I'll... I'll..."

"Mithos, don't you dare use mana!" Yuan barked, getting to his feet fast, he knew what was going to happen.

"He's not casting a spell, he's all wound up..." Martel gasped. "Oh no!"

Kratos got to his feet, dodged the line of fire and grimly advanced on the boy, and before Yuan or Martel could do anything about it shoved the child so he fell in the cold snow. Shivering, power lost in his shock the small blonde boy curled into a ball and whimpered as the pain of losing the spell smashed into him. Crying, shivering, he looked so pathetic that even Kratos winced at the sight.

"What's wrong with him?" The human growled, stared at the child in disgust and pity.

"He's sick, it's a half-elf sickness when we lose control of our mana. When we are young and not in control of ourselves sometimes the mana about us makes us do things or maybe we make it do things..." Martel scooped up the small boy in her arms. "Shh it's alright Mithos, just ride it out like before." She rocked the child in her arms.

"You said you were elves." Kratos hissed, his eyes seemed to burn in accusation.

"Yuan and Mithos did, I didn't." Kratos blinked at the vehamince in her tone, took a step back and gripped at a sword that was not there. "It's not like you'd care anyways, you'd hate us no matter what we are. I'm sorry you're like that Kratos."

"Waste your pity on those who deserve it woman." Kratos snarled, then he looked to Mithos and some of the anger left him. "I'll fetch some fire wood, you and your husband should tend to your kid."

Yuan flushed, sputtered a few protests, but Kratos wasn't there to hear them, and poor Martel looked like she'd been struck dead by the man's totally incorrect presumptions about them.

Xxx

"When'd you turn nice?" A small hand poked him on the side, and Kratos resisted the urge to swat it and the small pest at his side away.

"Since your sister and her boyfriend told me I would be murdered in a very messy manner if I wasn't."

"So, you don't like me?" Another poke.

"No."

"Well I don't like you, except poking, it makes your face twitch and it's kinda funny."

That statement was followed by another poke.

"Mithos, I will be having a watch in a few hours, I need to sleep."

"Well I'm bored."

Poke.

"Well I will... smack you with the flat of my hand if you poke me one more time, go bother the blue haired one."

"Yuan said he'd cook me if I bothered him and I'm bored."

Poke.

"Well I'll beat you senseless, nag your sister!" Kratos rolled over, put a wadded up blanket over his head.

"No!"

Poke.

"I!"

Poke

"Wont!"

Poke

"Listen to some _stupid_ human!"

Pokepokepokepokitypokepoke.

Kratos sat up, reached for the food packs which they had ordered him to carry and threw it at the small half elf. Squeaking the boy dodged the projectile and then thoughtfully scampered to it and popped it open, seeing the sweat bread inside, the last slice, he popped it into his mouth.

"You little brat, give that back!"

"Martellll Kratos is being mean to me!"

The green haired woman opened her eyes and yawned.

"Mmm what's wrong Mithos?"

"You lying little ba..." Martel's eyes narrowed and Kratos flinched. "brat..." He finished lamely.

"Mithos, look me in the eyes, now, were you bothering Kratos?"

"Ummm no!"

"Give him the bag and let him sleep."

"Yes, Martel, I'm sorry for waking you."

Martel crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

"And... same to you human."

Mithos went to his blankets, snuggled up and closed his eyes.

"They'll understand, give them time." Martel said quietly.

Kratos stared at the woman. "Frankly I don't know what you're looking for half elf, I don't see what you see, but then I'm not crazy."

She made a fact at the insult but didn't rise to the bait and respond.

"We'll be reaching the cross roads tomorrow, if you want to leave I guess you can then." Martel said, staring at him with this _sad_ look that made him feel a sliver of guilt.

"I can't."

"We'll give you some food or something.." Martel said calmly, as if they had food in an abundince. "You'll be fine."

"I can not." Kratos sighed. "You don't understand do you? No I can see you do not. I owe you my life, and until I have repaid you that debt I am bound to you. So until my death, your death, or until I have defeated death for you we are stuck together." Kratos closed his eyes, laid down on his blanket aware of the horror on her face, it was almost a horrified aura.

"You don't have to..."

"I have a favor to ask." Kratos cut her off, savored hte dark behind his eyes.

"What is it... you don't need to be all formal you know."

"If I was not formal I would speak my mind, and that would lead to my early death half breed." Kratos pulled his blanket over himself, ignored the pain she radiated. "Next time, if there is a next time I lay at your feet, wounded, dying... let me die. It would spare us both a lot of time and effort."

"You can't mean that..." She whispered, horrified.

He let his eyes slide open, stared at her unflinching, let his gaze speak for him, then he re-closed his eyes.

"You can't mean..."

"_Good night_ Ms. Yggdrasil." Kratos snarled, rolling over.

"You can't..."

Kratos curled into a ball, curled away from the light, away from her protests.

"I'm sorry."

"Save it for someone who cares half elf. Save it for someone who gives a damn."

She said nothing and with those bitter worlds leaving a vile taste on his lips he fell asleep.


	3. Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions

Chapter 3

Humming a tune the green haired woman scrubbed thier garments under the river. It was a chilling thing to him to now be on it's banks yet again. Her watchdog, a blue haired half elf, stood jelous guard over. He had nothing to say to them however, was entranced by the sluggish water lapping against the receeding ice. The heart of winter was fast in dying would yet again become spring, as it always was. He sighed at the by now familiar poke and turned, resisting the temptation to bring down a stinging smack.

"What is it bra- boy..." Kratos was fast becoming used to the all powerful stare that was part guilt, part hope. He was armed and armored by hate, used it as shield and weapon, but that woman made it as nothing with one of those stares. Rocks would tell all to those sad sad eyes. She smiled at him, for some strange reason and went back to her work humming that strange tune. Her watchdog bared his teeth in something that was most definatly not a smile, and went back to watching the threats in the area. Primarily him.

"I'm bored."

"A journey is not the world's meants to entertain you boy."

"Cutting all human rambly talk what does that mean?" Mithos frowned at him.

"Deal with it."

"Jerk."

"Is that the only insult you know?"

"Sh...shut up!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Kratos went back to staring at the water.

"It's the only insult I can _say_ alright. My Sis would make me eat soap if I said anything else."

Kratos rose an eyebrow but kept any biting comments to himself.

Martel only looked at them and smiled.

xxx

"You traveled with the brigands." Yuan said slowly, as if trying to keep his temper in check.

"Yes," Kratos shrugged, set the groups sole knife across the skin of the bird he'd brought down earlier.

Mithos, possessive of his sling, was now learning that when he shared it with Kratos they got good dinners. So he was becomeing the most sharing half elf child in all of the world's history. The dead animal steamed in the cold air, Martel looked away, clapped her hands oer her brother's eyes, and Yuan spared her a sympathetic smile as the human proceeded to gut the animal. Kratos only looked at them in confusion, seemed oblivious to the blood that was gathering on his hands as he absently continued his work. But then after gutting your own spiece for a living killing a bird was probably nothing.

"You killed your own people then."

Kratos looked up and chuckled. "When someone lifts a spear at you you normally don't have time to check the slant of his eyes or the tips of his ears."

"You attacked our village." Yuan hissed.

"Ah so you finally get to the point." Kratos was still smiling.

"You're a bastard, you think the fact that our lives have been totally ripped apart is funny!"

"Don't make assumptions half breed."

Yuan gritted his teeth.

"Were you or were you not in the army that attacked our village?" It came out as a hiss.

"Army?" Kratos laughed. "If thirty armed men is what you call an army..."

"Just answer the question!"

"The group I was with only attacks human settlements, half elf settlements are considered disease ridden hovels and not worth the time of day much less the arrows used in an attack." Yuan's knuckles clenched, Kratos stared at the fists, bored. "So to answer your question, no, we were not."

"Why were you floating down a river half dead?"

"I was... set to be executed because I disobeyed orders."

"What did you do?" Martel asked softly.

Kratos let his gaze settle in the half elf child.

"Such a matter is not to be discussed before children."

There were no more questions after that.

xxx

"Why are we following the river?" Mithos asked, tugging on Yuan's cape to get his attention.

"Because the roads are dangerous." Martel answered.

"But why?"

"Because rats like to flock to rivers. Excuse me I meant brigands, not rats." Yuan gently worked his cape free of Mithos' grasp.

"There's little difference between the two." Kratos said coldly, he was garbed in a spare set of Yuan's pants and a blanket had been pinned together so that it served as a coat toga hybrid, he wore the same boots they had found him with. "Ms. Martel, why in the names of the Gods do you have any interest in chasing after the people who you think killed those in your village?"

"They weren't killed, they were taken hostage."

"We're going to free them." Mithos added. "Then we're gunna..."

"Go home, or what's left of it." Martel said, cutting off the child.

Mithos' expression said that there was little chance of them _just_ going home.

"With a knife and a sling?" Kratos chuckled. "Well my oath will be soon fufilled."

"Oath?" Yuan frowned.

"A life oath, a life pledge." Martel explained what that meant and looking pained summing up the explaination by saying. "Kratos feels that he has to travel with us so that he can pay us back for the healing."

"So you're not going away?" Mithos whined.

"No, not yet." Kratos ran a hand though his wild hair.

"You're a barbarian." Yuan sputtered. "That's the most disgusting thing I've ever heard. You basically make yourself someone elses slave if they help you?"

"You've ehard very little then if that's the most disgusting." Kratos countered lazily. "And I'd curb my tongue if I was you, for what I am you are as well, half human."

"That makes me better then you, I'm half barbarian rather then a whole barbarian." Yuan spat.

"What concerns me." Kratos said to Martel, completely ignoring Yuan. "Is the practices of the brigands. We are not slave caravan, we don't have the means to support slaves so the common practice is to execute children, women, and the elderly, and force those who are of proper age into service of the organization." Kratos cocked his head to the side. "Taking everyone smacks of something rather strange... it makes no sense, unless they were digging thier own mass grave or something? Did you find a large pit with carrion was thrown inside?"

"No they didn't dig a mass grave!" Martel looked horrified. "The tracks went on for several miles, then there were wheels from a cart and we lost them when we came here."

"Considering the resources stripped from the lands for the wars." Kratos frowned. "That makes little sense. Ah well matters will solve themselves in due course if it is our fate to be the ones who are to solve them."

"How can you just be... 'oh well' about this?" Mithos flared. "Don't you care?"

"I am keeping my oath, that is all."

"Bastard." Yuan snarled, moving protectivly by Martel.

"As you will." Came the dispasionate response.

xxx

Like interlaced hands, like clasped interwoven fingers sheathed in crystal they stirred. Making promises to be kept, inter woven digits inter woven bodies all sheathed in the cold. Two slender frames were interwoven, the fingers tangled, they leaned against each other murmurring words to sooth away the shadows. He lay away from them, on the very edge where red tinted light of the fire. The stars glittered above him, lose scales catching the light, scales that perhaps belonged to some onyx behomithes back. He counted them as he always did, ignoring the giggle, the laughter. Smiling Yuan hugged Martel, the girl leaned into the older man and they began to speak in hushed voices.

"One-hundred and seven, one-hundred and eight..." He murmurred to the sky, hoping that sleep would come to him soon. There was a muffled rustle of feet scraping across snow, KRatos allowed the count to fall away, turned to the small slip of an elf who had come up to him dragging his blanket behind him. "What do you want?" Kratos snarled.

"I'm..."

"bored." Kratos finished icily. "Well be bored somewhere else."

"No..." Mithos flushed. "I'm lonly." The half elf said quietly. "There's no one to talk to."

Kratos looked over to the gossiping couple -despite what they said they were a couple in his mind- and to the small half elf.

"So it would seem, well I'm hardly a talker." Seeing the quiet desperation Kratos sighed. "But do as you will."

"You sigh a lot, you know that?"

Kratos looked to the stars, said nothing.

"What were you doing?"

"Counting the stars."

"Wow you must be really bored!" Mithos snickured. "Even more bored then me to be counting the dumb stars."

"Stars," Kratos whispered, his voice dipped to a leathal tone. "Are not dumb, and if that's your stance then feel free to go sulk somewhere else."

"Why's it you feel more for the stars then everyone else?"

Kratos said nothing, finding the constilation of the bloody hunter, a wolf crouched over a dear's carcus, Kratos found the antler he had been on and went down from there.

"One hundred and nine."

"Why are you being mean to me?"

"One hundred and ten."

"Hey, I asked you something! I'll.. poke you if you don't answer!"

"_One hundred and eleven_." Kratos hissed, his hands clenching.

"You don't scare me, I'm not scared of anything!" Mithos snapped.

"Then you are a fool." Kratos spat, the dark of the night sky seemed to have gathered in his eyes. "that or you are a corpse, or you soon will be." There was a long pause, Mithos sniffled and the human shifted in disgust.

"Why do you hate us?"

"Because you and your spiece are..." He bit his tongue. "You'll understand when you get older."

"People say that we hate humans and elves because it's natural for us too..." Mithos growled. "I can see why, because you hate us first! You... jerk! All human's are jerks!"

Kratos stared at Mithos, his eyes curious, no longer bored or jaded, but interested.

"If it's natural, why must you learn it?"

Mithos lost his anger, frowned.

"Did you learn it?"

Kratos shrugged, went back to staring at the sky. He tried to find his spot but was interupted by a poke. Frowning he swatted the hand, and was poked again, and again.

"I asked you a question!"

"Well guess what half breed, I don't do what you say!" Kratos snarled, standing. "Martel, do something about your brat!" He snatched up his blanket and to thier total amazement scrambled up the nearest tree. He wrapped himself up in his blanket, and made himself comfortable. Kratos igrnored the ice falling behind him, the dead branches, the broken hands, that now lay at the foot of the tree. He looked up at the stars from his perch, and cursed when he could not find his place and had to begin again.

REVIEW RESPONSES:

Lockea: Glad you liked the poke thing... I imagine Mithos will use it to his full advantage later on. Your answers about Kratos will come soon enough.

KasandShadow: Thanks, hope you enjoy the updates.

InuKratosStan: Poor all of them huh? we'll see.Will do, am continuing.

GameCubGril1:I'll do what I can.


	4. One answer

Reflections

a/n and reviews will be on bottom of all my fics from here on out!

Chapter 4

_"Don't please don't hurt me..." She whimpered at his feet, a mere child of thirteen summers. He bent down, she was a pretty thing despite the bruising, and he knelt besides her. "I'll be good... please no more..."_

_"Shhh..." He cupped her face and she cringed back from his touch. His fingers curled around her face and she stopped trying to pull away. "It's alright, I'm not like them."_

_"They all say that then they take and take and..."_

_He shrugged off his jacket and let the fabric fall to the earth, hearing that horrible sound, having heard it many times before she cried. He only stood and after her tears had dried she looked up and saw his face... He understood, she saw that, he knew the fear. He stood wearing no jacket, still clothed despite that._

_"Get dressed woman, then follow me."_

_Taking the jacket, weeping tears of hope, she did as ordered, and followed him into the camp._

xxx

_"Taking one of them in the camp's against rules, you know that Aurion."_

_"SHe hasn't tired me out yet." He sneared, a passable mimic of the lustier members of this band. "When she's done I'll do what needs doing."_

_"Heh, ruining your rep as a man perve are you Aurion."_

_She shivered as his arm slung over her, but she knew, he had told her to expect it. Her shiver was supressed laughter. He mock fondled her arm and the men laughed._

_"Never knew you liked them young, might have some good taste in you after all boy."_

_"I've always been partial to brown haired ones." He drew her near, ground her hips against his. "You boys need to be less rough on them, almost walked right on by this wench."_

_The guards snickured, rolled thier eyes, gave a few vulgar hints then calling him a lucky bastard watched him go in the camp. They went to the animal skin tent, and she pulled away, he had held them so close that she had... She had began to think he would, even though he had promised not to. He walked past her, laid out some furs and then went to the tent flap._

_"Where are you going?"_

_"I'm hungry," He shurgged. "As I imagine you are, lay down I'll awake you when I return." _

xxx

Kratos opened his eyes, yawned, and nearly rolled out of the tree. With the scent of a woman fading from his nostrils he watched Martel fussing around the fire, making a light breakfast from the blue haired one's pre-dawn foraging. She looked up at him and smiled, he ignored her. He had had enough of women for a life time, the less woman in his life the better.

She walked under his tree, crossed her arms, and looked up at him.

"Have you seen Mithos this morning?" Kratos rose an eyebrow and she laughed. "I'm sorry, I guess you were sleeping after all."

"Unlike you _vastly_ superior half elves I must sleep." He snipped, then scampered down the tree. "No I haven't seen your brother since he bothered the Hell out of me last night."

"Mithos was just talking to you..." Martel protested. "Anyways Yuan went to look after him and no one's returned yet."

"How long has it been."

"About an hour, why?"

"Give them two, then I'll go look for them."

"We,"

"Pardon?"

"When you're in a group it's 'we' there is no 'I' when you travel with other people."

"That," He said, walking up to her nice smelling stew, "depends on who you travel with Miss."

"Well with us there is no 'I' it's always 'we' so you'll have to get used to that."

"Considering the lot of you are suicidal," Kratos said, taking off the lid and admiring the beef stew. "I will not have time to get used to it."

"You're such a pessimist!" Martel huffed.

"Pardon?" He cocked his head to the side, his wild hair falling into his eyes.

"Don't give up, we'll save them."

"Frankly, as your… friend accused, I hardly care whether we are successful or not in saving those of your settlement. I'm in this to maintain my honor and to seek revenge on those who wronged me."

"They weren't all half elves, we only some of the handful of were of… different blood. The rest were humans."

"Like that means anything to me? Human, half elf, elf, what does it matter?" Kratos said coldly, fishing out two bowls from the absent Yuan's packs. He tossed one to the startled Martel and pulled out two spoons. "You should eat Miss, it will be a long day and you should keep up your strength."

"What kind of tragedy made you as you are Kratos?" Martel asked sadly as he helped himself to the contents of the pot.

Kratos did not bother to answer.

Xxx

"_Thank you," She curled into him and he controlled his natural responses well enough so that she didn't notice. "It's awful cold out."_

"_When it snows it is normally cold out." He muttered, focusing on the soft fur beneath him rather then the girl against him._

"_What's it like." She mumbled into his ear. "Being one of them?"_

"_Over rated," he answered curtly and she giggled._

"_You're so quiet. Are you always this quiet?"_

"_Do you always talk so much?" While his tone was cutting she seemed to ignore it, stared into his eyes._

"_You look at me like they did." She murmured, her voice soft, it sent a shiver down his back. _

"_I don't mean to." He rolled away from her, so that his back was facing her. "I don't mean to do so, and I won't be like them, I promised you that, remember?"_

"_I know," She draped an arm over his back, snuggled against him for warmth. "I trust you." _

_There was a long silence._

"_Don't betray me, please…"_

_After betraying his own blood brothers what could she expect of him? He expected nothing of himself._

"_I'll do my best."_

_It was an empty promise, a soothing promise that gave nothing so there was no loss on his part. She stroked his arm and he exerted the control a saint would have admired, when she fell asleep he gently unfastened her arm around his waist and scooted away from her._

Xxx

"It's been an hour, where are they!" Martel was running a hand through her hair, pacing back and forth.

"Miss Martel," He stared at her with brooding eyes. "You are going to walk through the other side of the world if you pace anymore."

"How can you be so cold, my brother's out there!"

He only stared at her then sighed.

"They have ten more minuets, but if you aren't going to settle down then we should go now before a wolf is drawn to us for the racket _you_ are making. As for my lack of warmth, you seem a smart girl; certainly you should have figured from the time we've traveled together I am incapable of warmth." He stood, rubbed his arms. "Let us save your brat and boyfriend already, the sooner we get them back the sooner we get this over with."

"Can you fight without a sling or a knife?" Martel asked as he stood.

"No, and I take it from your tone you can't either." Kratos smiled grimly. "A fist will not do very good against a wolf, but better to fight then just roll over and die."

"See we can agree on something." Martel pointed out meekly.

"As I understand cornered mice take up the exact same stance, it seems to be something that everyone shares."

"Universal, it's universal." Martel said and chuckled at the lack of comprehension on Kratos' face. "For someone who acts smart you're pretty dumb sometimes."

"Ahh… I see the resemblance to your brother already." The brigand sighed, then turned from the river's banks. "We best be off then."

"I know your worried." Martel said calmly, following him as they left their camp for the moment.

"You are insane, I am not worried."

"Yes you are," Martel chuckled. "You can act as cold as you like Kratos. But I know you like Mithos and he likes you, none of you have realized it yet."

"Tell me, did you get those pointy ears from being dropped as a child?"

"You're worried." Martel said confidently. "If you weren't you wouldn't bother to help me look for them, you wouldn't have volunteered to go look for them. So you _are_ worried!"

She then poked his back and he glared at her.

"Just showing you we are related, me and Mithos, that's all."

She poked him again.

This was going to be a long walk…

Xxx

Snarling a blur of silver grey threw itself at him. There was a hiss of lightning and the creature jerked, its fur danced weirdly and it fell over dead. Making a noise in his throat of annoyance Yuan flexed his fingers, banished the clinging stinging bits of his power.

"It's dead now." Yuan said calmly, and Mithos uncurled from the ball he'd collapsed into the second his fire spell had missed. "Mithos when you miss you're supposed to either stand and shot off another spell, or run. Not curl up in a ball and cry out in terror."

"This thing's twice my size!" Mithos whined, which was the truth, and even though it was dead it was still scarier then heck. Smoke wafted out from the parted jaws and nostrils of the wolf, its' fur still stood on end, and its legs twitched spasmodically as the last of Yuan's power pounding through it's veins made it seem alive. "I deserve to be able to scream in terror!"

"You need to stop, every time you do more of these things hear and…"

There was a shriek, and Mithos and Yuan looked at each other.

"Wasn't me!" Mithos said quickly, not liking the cold look on Yuan's face.

"Hush… listen…"

From near by the scream pealed out and words half human half animal screams of pain rung out across the chill air.

"That doesn't sound good." Mithos whispered, the shaking that branded him as a coward began to take his legs. "Please Yuan let's go back to Martel!"

"No," The half elf frowned. "Someone's in trouble, I can' turn away from a scream like that."

"Why me…" Mithos moaned as he followed the blue haired half elf. Hearing that, Yuan turned, considered his young friend.

"Mithos, I want you to go back to Martel and wait for me there."

"N…no, I'm coming too!" Mithos gathered the last bits of his courage. "I'm a good wizard so I can help."

"Whats out there is probably worse then any wolf."

"You're just scared Martel will get mad." Mithos pointed out. "If I go back by myself Martel will yell at you for leaving me alone, if I go with you Martel will yell at you for taking me along. But if I go with you then I might say… forget that we didn't come right back…" Mithos smirked and the blue haired elf gapped.

"That's black mail!" Yuan roared. "I can't believe it, you're black mailing me! Martel would never believe this from you…"

"I save it." Mithos continued his smirk frozen to his face. "Come on let's go, I mean either way you're in trouble so…"

"One of these day kiddo, that mouth is going to get you in trouble..."

Mithos only stuck out his tongue and Yuan sighed.

"Alright, let's go. I hope I don't regret this…"

xxx

"They were here…" Martel frowned at the blasted wolf. "Yuan always cooks the monsters with his spells."

Kratos stared at the wolf, and decided to be very nice to Martel when Yuan re-joined them. There were a few ways he had an objection to dying, very few deaths fazed him, but looking at that wolf he decided that his was not the way he wanted to go. He nodded, scanned the ground and spotted some tracks.

"Here, Miss." He pointed to the churned up snow. "Looks like they decided to go off on some hare chase, charming, I'm traveling with…"

"Let's go!" She grabbed his arm and began to drag him down the path, oblivious to the bits of bloodied snow that sat at the feet of the trees, oblivious to the crimson droplets frozen in the shape they had splattered into the trees above them… but then he too did not see it either.

Xxx

"_Why do you look at me like that?" She ran a hand through his hair._

"_They…want all the human captives." He murmured into the live beat of her throat, the steady beat of her heart and her warmth an intoxicating brew for him. "They are going to take you away…"_

"_Why do they want us, what can they do now?"_

"_I don't know." He sighed. "The leader's acting strange, I don't like it. And… I made a promise to you, I need to remember to start keeping them again. How does it feel Little One, to know you are the first promise I've ever kept in some few months now?"_

"_Good." She admitted, kissing his shoulder. "So now what?"_

"_I'll get you out of here." He whispered into her ear, she shivered against him, wrapped her slender arms about him. "No child, no…" He gently pushed her away. "That was part of my promise to you… I must keep it... All of it."_

_She sighed, let him go, and he cracked a slight grin._

"_Maybe after we are both free we will see what comes." He stroked her face with a finger, traced a thin line between her brows. An archaic benediction that ended in a gentle kiss, he offered her only that and she mumbled a few complaints._

"_Kratos… You'll keep me safe then?"_

"_As long as I can Little One," he pulled away from her, his keep hearing picking up something subtly wrong, he drew his sword and turned as the flap opened._

"_Protector 'er are ya?"_

_He shoved the girl behind him, stared at his general… His current general and pointed his blade at the man. To kill him would be easy, he was an out of shape fat bastard with more wit then brawn._

"_Gunna turn blade on me pup?"_

"_If need be." Kratos answered. And the need had been great. Despite his stubbornness and sword skills he was split up from her, he meant to give her a knife just in case something like this happened. He had forgotten, and she had screamed as the men leered at her pawed her…_

_He struggled, tried to break free but his hands were pinned, his sword knocked from his grasp._

_The general, a fat bloated thing of a man smiled at him, pointed the steel blade to his throat._

"_Too clean a death, for defying my will…" Them man tossed the blade aside "do him over good then send him for a dip. Make sure he screams a little, I want them both screaming so I can hear it from my tent."_

_Smirking Kratos captor fumbled out a whip._

"_You heard the commander, scream in pain, worm!"_

_The first lash of many came down._

Xxx

"Kratos…" hands shook him. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." He brushed off her hands, he had slumped against a tree hearing that scream that had come from ahead like those of the woman that echoed in the corridors of his mind.

"What was that horrible sound?"

A sick feeling gathered in his gut, the sound was as familiar to him as the sound of his own name.

"It's a death scream." He stared at the path ahead that was now no longer foot prints but drag marks. He did not tell the woman that, because she'd drag him making all sorts of racket. "We wait here, until night fa-"

There was another cry, half gibbered insane litany, half words. Worlds of pain were conveyed in that cry that arched above them and slammed into his chest with the force of an arrow.

"We are not waiting, wait all you want Kratos, I'm going ahead."

Much to Martel's shock he offered no protest.

To my readers,

Much insight on Kratos, no? I'll update when I'm feeling better. After I wrote 'A Shot of Cold' I got a bug and have been out of it for a few days. Ironically I have a cold... This crosses the line between ironic conscidenceand evil omen in my book... Anyway I'll reply yo all your reviewsnext chapter, as it is I'm officially dead on myfeet/chair/whatever. One last transfer and I'm done till I'm better! _yawns_ enjoy guys!

KasanSoulblade


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